Beautiful Mess
by YupSureDid
Summary: Life can be a mess. But what a beautiful mess it is. Rating is T at the moment, subject to change. Maxie centered, character death, unconventional couple alert but not until the end . ON HIATUS. Sorry!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer - I do not own General Hospital, its character's, or any references to previous characters, story lines, or settings. Anything you do not recognize perhaps belongs to my imagination. Other than that, just the plot of this story belongs to me. **:)** Also, the song "Beautiful Mess" belongs to Jason Mraz.

**Beautiful Mess  
**

_**Prologue  
**_

Maxie Jones rolled from her left side to her right. The shades were drawn, curtains closed. Not a sound disturbed the uncomfortable stillness of the regrettably pink bedroom. She opened her eyes and squinted when it burned. She didn't know what time it was, and she didn't know how long she had been sleeping. Taking in the site of Spinelli's things tossed here and there, haphazardly decorating the room that had simultaneously become her haven and her hell, she took a shuddering breath and closed her eyes again.

_You've got the best of both worlds _

_You're the kind of girl who can take down a man, _

_And lift him back up again _

_You are strong but you're needy, _

_Humble but you're greedy _

_Based on your body language, _

_your shouted cursive I've been reading _

_You're style is quite selective, _

_though your mind is rather reckless _

_Well I guess it just suggests _

_that this is just what happiness is _

_Hey, what a beautiful mess this is _

_It's like picking up trash in dresses _

_Well it kind of hurts when the kind of words you write _

_Kind of turn themselves into knives _

_And don't mind my nerve you can call it fiction _

'_Cause I like being submerged in your contradictions dear _

'_Cause here we are, here we are _

_Although you were biased I love your advice _

_Your comebacks they're quick _

_And probably have to do with your insecurities _

_There's no shame in being crazy, _

_Depending on how you take these _

_Words that paraphrasing this relationship we're staging _

_And it's a beautiful mess, yes it is _

_It's like, we are picking up trash in dresses _

_Well it kind of hurts when the kind of words you say _

_Kind of turn themselves into blades _

_And the kind and courteous is a life I've heard _

_But it's nice to say that we played in the dirt _

_Cause here, here we are, here we are _

_We're still here _

_And what a beautiful mess this is _

_It's like taking a guess when the only answer is yes _

_And through timeless words in priceless pictures _

_We'll fly like birds not of this earth _

_And tides they turn and hearts disfigure _

_But that's no concern when we're wounded together _

_And we tore our dresses and stained our shirts _

_But it's nice today, oh the wait was so worth it  
_

Author's Note - I know that the song does not fit with this exceptionally tiny prologue. I also know that you are probably entirely confused. But have no fear, all will be explained in due time. Thank you for reading, drop me a review if you're feeling generous. **:)**


	2. You Get Me High

Disclaimer - I do not own General Hospital, its character's, or any references to previous characters, story lines, or settings. I also do not own Cheerios or Prada. Anything you do not recognize perhaps belongs to my imagination. Other than that, just the plot of this story belongs to me. **:)** Also, the song "You Get Me High" belongs to Jason Mraz. Oh, and in case you are wondering, this story takes place during the current story line (as in, no Georgie, Maxie and Lulu live together and work for Kate, etc. I have decided not to include any of the sweeps story line, though, as I don't really intend on including all of the main characters.)

**Beautiful Mess  
**

**You Get Me High  
**

_Well I don't know _

_Just what I'm here for _

_I want more than words can describe _

_I've been deprived _

_Can you believe it? _

_My whole world _

_Well it's falling apart _

_Well it falls _

_Still it falls _

_Well it falls apart around me.  
_

_**Two days earlier...  
**_

"Thanks, Max. I'll let you know if I need anything else. Try to get some rest tonight, will you?"

Jason gave Max a pat on the shoulder and then waited for him to get to the elevator before shutting the door to the penthouse. After turning out most of the lights, he went into the kitchen and took inventory of what he was lacking. Spinelli's death had caught everyone off guard. Over the last few days Jason hadn't even made a thought as to what he should be putting into his body. He didn't even remember eating anything at all, but the kitchen was bone dry. No milk, eggs, bread. None of the typical staples. If Maxie was going to be staying here, and he had the strangest feeling that she would be, he'd have to stock up. He rubbed his hands roughly over his face and went up the stairs, looking forward to a nice hot shower and at least 3 or 4 hours of sleep, if he could manage it. As he passed by the guest bedroom, he saw Maxie sitting in the exact same place he had escorted her to ah hour ago.

After leaving the funeral, Jason had insisted on bringing Maxie to the ER to make sure that she wasn't stressing her heart out. She was given a clean bill of health and Jason escorted her back out to his car. He sat across from her, taking in her glazed over expression, and decided that she was in no state to be left alone, which surely is what Lulu and Johnny would assume to be what she wanted. He indicated to Max to bring them straight to the penthouse, and when Maxie made no move to exit the car or even acknowledge that the car had stopped, Jason scooped her into his arms and carried her into the house. He gently lowered her onto the guest bed and told her he'd be back to check on her in a little bit.

After finishing up with a few loose ends, Jason said goodnight to Max and headed up to the guest room after his stop in the kitchen.

"Maxie, I brought you some pajamas. They're just some old sweats of mine. I know they'll be huge on you but they'll be warm and they're clean. Maxie?" Frowning at her lack of response, Jason knelt in front of her. He stared into her face and saw absolutely nothing, so he reached down and gently slipped her feet out of her Prada slingbacks. Silently apologizing for what he was about to do, he began unbuttoning her blouse, almost hoping she would snap out of her stupor and slap him across the face. Even as he slid her blouse off of her shoulders and slipped his t-shirt over her head, she remained motionless. Cradling the back of her head in his hand, he gently pushed her back on the bed until she was resting on the pillows. He pulled the covers up over her wispy frame and took one last look at her face. Her eyes were filling with tears and she clenched them shut, the first conscious move she had made in hours.

"Thank you," she whispered. Jason turned and left the room, shutting the door softly behind him.

A few hours later, Maxie opened her eyes. She wasn't sure if she slept. She wasn't sure if any time had passed at all. Silently, she slipped out of the bed and crept to the door, putting her ear to it. Satisfied that there was no movement coming from Jason, she eased the door open, hissing at it when the knob clicked. She cautiously poked her head out into the hallway, and when she was satisfied that the coast was clear she quickly and quietly padded her bare feet down the hall until she came to a stop in front of the door to the regrettably pink room. Keeping her fingers crossed that Spinelli's door would be good to her, she turned the knob and pushed. She let out the breath she was holding and walked inside, shutting the door behind her.

It smelled of Spinelli. Spice, and cologne, and just a touch of hemp. She tiptoed to the bed as if Spinelli was in it and waiting for her. She slid under the covers and pulled one of his pillows tightly to her, inhaling the scent of the only man who had ever loved her unconditionally.

Maxie hiccuped once and began to cry.

_**Earlier that morning...  
**_

_Maxie looked up from her bowl of Cheerios, startled, when the doorbell rang. She was eating as slowly as possible, in a half hearted attempt to avoid the inevitable. Spinelli's funeral was to begin in approximately 35 minutes, and maybe if she wasn't there at 10 am on this dreary Monday morning, then all of this magically wouldn't be happening. Lulu turned from the counter where she was wiping the last few crumbs from her toast at the sound of the bell._

_"Who could that be? Is someone meeting you here for a ride to the church?" _

_Maxie rose from the table without answering and handed Lulu her empty bowl to place in the sink. A second later Lulu was surprised to hear Jason's voice. She entered the living room just as Maxie was getting her coat. _

_"Jason. Hi. How are you?" _

_"Probably the same as you. Just trying to get by," he turned to Maxie, "Are you ready? Lulu, do you and Johnny need a ride?" _

_"No, thank you, though. The three of us were just going to go together."_

_Jason cleared his throat, suddenly feeling awkward. He had assumed Maxie would either blow off the funeral entirely, or be so distraught on her way that she would run her car off the road. He didn't think Spinelli would appreciate his letting that happen. Though Spinelli's suicide hurt Maxie to no end, Jason knew he did it to ease his own pain, rather than cause pain for Maxie. So, he had made up his mind this morning that he would catch Maxie early, before she had a chance to do any damage, whether intentional or not, and he would personally escort her to the funeral with him in his own car. He was slightly relieved to see that Maxie seemed to be handling Spinelli's death with the most maturity she had probably ever shown. _

_The funeral procession was a long one. Car after car, dozens of them, slowly turned into the cemetery and eventually people began to make their way to the open plot, the final resting place of Damien Spinelli. Maxie sat beside Jason in the folding chairs set aside for family, her face betraying nothing. Her head was tilted down, her eyes were closed, her hands laying limply in her lap, a tissue clenched in her left hand the only sign that she was even awake. As the priest began his final blessings over Spinelli's coffin, the crowd of mourners all snapped their heads up as Maxie slipped out of her chair and fell to her knees, an anguished wail spilling from her lips. It was the first sound Maxie had made since learning of Spinelli's death on Friday morning, and it sent chills down Jason's spine. He looked into the crowd and locked eyes with Elizabeth, silently asking her what to do. She shrugged her shoulders and glanced at Maxie, her eyes filling with tears. The hurt and pain was pouring off of Maxie in waves, striking the hearts of even those who would never wish her well. _

_She crawled forward and rested her head against the cold mahogany that was Spinelli's final home and gave in to the heart-wrenching sobs that she had forced deep into her gut since she had heard the news. _

_"Please come back to me. Don't go. You can't leave me too. Please, please, please."_

_Her words were almost incoherent, encased entirely in sobs that wracked her whole body. Her hand gripped the handle that the pallbearers had released just moments ago, and in her attempt to force herself even closer to the casket she knocked over a vase full of flowers. The crack of the ceramic against the wood seemed to pull her out of her darkened haze and she ran her fingers through her hair. _

_"I can't do this. Get me out of here. I can't. I can't watch him go, please somebody. Help me, please." Her hand came up to her chest, grasping at the lapels of her jacket. Jason, thinking she was going to grab at her heart, leapt from his chair and immediately pulled her to her feet. She turned her body into him, her hands flailing wildly as she tried to regain her balance. She tried to straighten and take a step away from Jason, but her legs gave out and he tightened his grip. Hiding her face, she managed to control her sobs long enough to ask him one thing. _

_"Please Jason, get me out of here. Please," she sobbed. He nodded to Max, swept Maxie into his arms, and headed to the car.  
_

Author's Note - Hopefully this makes up for the crappiness that was the prologue. I couldn't help it, that's the scene that popped into my head which lead me to writing this story. I felt that it was very fitting to have that be the first thing you all saw, as it was the first thing that i saw. I hope you aren't too confused. If you'd like any spoilers, feel free to ask. If you'd like to beta, feel free to offer. Thanks for reading, drop me a line if you're feeling generous. **: ) **


	3. Little You and I

Disclaimer - I do not own General Hospital, its character's, or any references to previous characters, storylines, or settings. I also do not own Subway, Matt Damon, The Bourne Supremacy, Legally Blonde, or Dirty Dancing. Anything you do not recognize perhaps belongs to my imagination. Other than that, just the plot of this story belongs to me. **:)** Also, the song "Little You and I" belongs to Jason Mraz.

**Beautiful Mess**

**Little You and I**

_In the broken promises_

_Too much, too hard to keep_

_And we would sell our souls to the devil_

_If he promised to say something we already know, so well_

_Then it's right on, said right, said it's right on_

_Took a far tone_

_Something big that has already begun_

_Something dead just not quite numb, ah_

_I say in miles in line tears beside_

_Oh, and we're gonna weep inbetween the sleep_

_Until we float away, until we float away_

_In the broken promises_

_Said along broken, oh broken promises_

_Said along broken promises_

"Maxie?"

Maxie nodded her head, indicating that she was awake without having to make any real effort whatsoever. Her gaze remained focused on a poster of some Greek Goddess Spinelli loved to drone on and on about. Lulu quietly stepped around Spinelli's things and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I just wanted to check on you. I thought maybe we could get some dinner?"

Maxie rolled her eyes at Lulu without responding.

"Okay, you don't want to get dinner. Well, do you think you're coming back to the apartment anytime soon?"

"I don't want to," Maxie's soft voice replied. She pulled one of Spinelli's pillows closer to her chest and inhaled deeply. "His smell is starting to fade. His bed is starting to smell like me now. My stupid perfume from the funeral." Her voice caught in her throat, but she forced the words out. "If I leave now, when I come back his smell will be gone. And then he'll be gone. I'm staying here, Lulu."

The two blond girls stared at each other, neither saying a word for a long time. Finally, Lulu rose from the bed and went out into the hallway, returning with a suitcase.

"I packed this for you. I don't think you're going to be leaving even after his smell is gone. I didn't know what you'd want so I mostly put comfy clothes in. I figured you'd claw my eyes out if I shoved your designer dresses and tops into a ratty old suitcase."

Despite everything, Maxie awarded Lulu with a half smirk. Grief or not, she was above all a fashionista at heart. "Thank you, Lulu," she said off handedly as she rose from the bed, "You don't have to worry about rent or anything, I'll still pay my share."

Lulu rose as well, thinking hopefully that Maxie would at least come downstairs with her and be tempted to get something to eat. But as the two made their way to the bedroom door, Maxie turned towards the bathroom as Lulu turned towards the stairs. Maxie seemed to hesitate for a moment and then took a step towards Lulu.

"Oh, hell," she said, exasperated, as she pulled a surprised Lulu into a quick embrace. "Don't get used to it. It's just that...you're my best friend now."

Lulu stared at Maxie, mouth agape.

"Close your mouth, Lulu, you're going to start catching flies. And don't look like it's such an absurd idea, aside from Johnny I'm your best friend too."

As she entered the bathroom, she stopped thoughtfully and looked at Lulu one last time.

"Spinelli did that," she said. She then closed the door to the bathroom, leaving Lulu alone.

--

Jason looked up expectantly when he heard footsteps on the stairs, but he was disappointed when it turned out to be only Lulu. When she came and sat down next to him on the couch, he put down his pen and turned his focus onto her.

"Maxie hasn't eaten since the morning of the funeral, has she?" Lulu eyed Jason and waited for him to respond.

"Oh, uh, yeah I guess not. I haven't seen her leave Spinelli's room except to go into the bathroom."

"Well, that's not good. She's skinny as it is, she doesn't need to be dropping any weight. She needs to take care of herself. _You_ need to make sure she does. For Spinelli."

--

Mac entered Spinelli's room as if he were expecting his ghost to greet him right there in the doorway. He spotted Maxie, not in the bed like he expected, but curled up on the window seat, staring out the window. He slowly made his way over, and took a seat next to his grieving daughter. He took in her small frame, outfitted in what he assumed to be one of Spinelli's tshirts and a pair of sweatpants. There were no tears in her glazed over eyes, no quivering of her lower lip. Jason told him she hadn't eaten but it didn't seem to be taking a toll on her already slender frame just yet. The bags under her eyes and lack of any spark of life were the only physical signs of her inner turmoil.

Mac took one of the hands clasped around her knees and lightly caressed the back of it with his thumb in comforting circles. He opened his mouth to speak but Maxie cut him off.

"I'm staying here, Dad. Don't give me any crap about it being dangerous," she said dully.

--

The only sign that Maxie was caught off guard by Jason barging into the regrettably pink room was the confusion that briefly flashed in her eyes. She made no indication that she even knew he was there, just kept her gaze focused on the pile of papers laid out on Spinelli's bed. She tensed briefly when his hand enclosed her tiny wrist, but she relaxed so quickly that Jason thought perhaps he had imagined it. Not saying a word, he tugged on her arm and she, in turn, wordlessly rose and obediently followed him out of the room, if for no other reason than to satisfy her own curiousity as to why he requested her presence. When they got to the living room, Jason pushed her shoulders lightly, forcing her to sit on the couch. He pushed a tv tray in front of her and met her confused gaze with his own stern look.

"Eat it. Now."

When Maxie looked as though she were about to protest, he held up his hand.

"I have beer, I have food, and I have cable. You're going to sit here and eat until I'm satisfied you aren't going to pass out." True to his word, he went into the kitchen and brought two beer bottles with him, opening one and placing it on Maxie's tray. Sighing, Maxie began to unwrap the Subway wrapper and for the first time realized how absolutely ravenous she was. Pleased, she realized that either Lulu or Jason had gotten her favorite kind of sub with her favorite kind of toppings. She bit into the sandwich and clicked on the tv.

"No," was the only thing Jason offered from his seat beside her. Maxie scoffed in annoyance but changed the channel from the one that was currently playing "Dirty Dancing".

"You have something against Subway?" Maxie asked in between channel changing and chewing.

"I already ate. Stop talking and eat," he answered, taking a long swig of his beer. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the couch cushions, losing himself in his thoughts until he heard Maxie squeak happily. He opened his eyes to see her leaning towards the tv, taking in one of the tension-building scenes from The Bourne Supremacy. Shaking his head, he let himself relax a little, having seen the slightest resemblance of a spark of life in Maxie left him reassured that she'd be fine, eventually.

"_One way or another, you're going to play ball_," Maxie mimicked one of the characters, quoting him word for word, "What a moron. He can't hold Jason Bourne!" Maxie wiped at her mouth, her entire sandwich devoured, and then she leaned back with her beer, getting ready for the next fight scene. She looked at Jason and did a double take when she realized he was staring at her.

"What?" she asked, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Nothing. I just can't believe you can quote this movie. It has fight scenes."

"So?"

"So, you seem more like a...Legally Blonde kind of girl," Jason said cautiously.

"Yeah, well. Spinelli was going on and on about the editing in the fight scenes and he somehow managed to convince me to watch the first one..and, I don't know. I liked the action. Besides, Matt Damon is hot!"

A few minutes of silence went by when Jason was once again pulled away from his thoughts by Maxie's soft voice.

"Don't you wish you could escape and start over? Just completely forget everything up until this point, and start from scratch?"

Jason looked at her, not thoughtfully, not in annoyance, just looked at her. She met his gaze, and then lowered her eyes.

"Sorry, just talking to myself. I'm going to get some sleep. Thank you for the sandwich," she said as she gathered her trash. She threw everything out in the kitchen and quickly disappeared upstairs, leaving Jason to wonder if she really would be alright after all.

Author's Note - If you'd like any spoilers, feel free to ask. If you'd like to beta, feel free to offer. Thanks for reading, drop me a line if you're feeling generous. **: ) **


	4. The Beauty In Ugly

Disclaimer - I do not own General Hospital, its character's, or any references to previous characters, storylines, or settings. I also do not own CVS. Anything you do not recognize perhaps belongs to my imagination. Other than that, just the plot of this story belongs to me. **:)** Also, the song "The Beauty in Ugly" belongs to Jason Mraz.

Author's Note - I included the dates of the days that this chapter takes place in order to make you, the readers, hopefully feel more comfortable with the timeline of this story. I know flashbacks and whatnot can be tricky and since I am not revealing everything in chronological order, hopefully knowing the exact dates later on can help you understand the layout of the story. For future references, Spin committed suicide on Friday, May 1, 2009.

**Beautiful Mess**

**The Beauty In Ugly**

_Well you are fresh_

_Your face is fabulous_

_Don't forget you're one of a kind_

_When nobody's checking the deeds that you've done, _

_And nobody is hearing your cries_

_You'll make all the fashion statements_

_Just by dressing up your mind. _

_Well if you want to get free_

_And if you want to do the passionate thing_

_And if you want to get smart _

_For the sake of your heart and all_

_You should own your name, and stand up tall_

_And get real_

_And see the beauty in ugly_

Maxie stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around her dripping body. The shower had felt good, she was ashamed to admit far too many days had gone in between showers recently. Today was the day she would attempt to go back to work. Though Kate had attended Spinelli's funeral and paid her respects to the quirky, yet undeniably helpful young man, in Kate Howard's world, that was all the grieving that was necessary. Though she allotted both Maxie and Lulu one week each paid leave, she also let it be known in no uncertain terms that come May 11, they were both expected back at their desks and ready to work.

Walking into the bedroom, Maxie absentmindedly towel dried her hair as she thought about what to wear. She had e-mailed Lulu a list of her clothes that she wanted brought to the penthouse, and luckily the Original Blond One had not disappointed. Quickly, Maxie slid into one of her favorite dresses and strapped on a pair of heels that Spinelli had once likened to teetering on stilts. Completely on autopilot, Maxie styled her hair and applied her makeup, and soon found herself ready to be presented to the outside world, and with 10 minutes to spare. Looking at her reflection, she turned her face one way and then the other, inspecting the dark circles that had formed under her eyes. A small outbreak of acne spotted her chin, which pissed her off.

"Leave it to you, Spin, to be the reason my skin takes a turn for the worst," she muttered, leaning back away from the mirror after applying more concealer to the offending red blemishes. "Sorry, Spin. It's not your fault I was a waste of space this week...it's just so hard to do anything when I know you aren't here. If you can't do anything, why should I?" Maxie gazed into the mirror, talking to herself, or talking to Spin, she wasn't really sure. Her eyes went out of focus and her left hand tapped anxiously against the wood of the dresser.

"You can't do anything, and now I can't either. You shouldn't have left me. You knew I would be all alone, but you just cared about how hard it was for you to be here, not knowing. So what, you had to sit and wait? That's all I have to do now, too. Sit and wait until my time has come, until I can finally see you again. You left and you put me in your place. That was pretty selfish of you," her voice hardened, and her face visibly tensed, "You just left me here. You thought your pain was so bad, huh Spin? Your life was just so awful, wasn't it? Couldn't stand to breath for one more second so you took the easy way out. And who cares what happens to the Fair Maximista, right? Who cares if she's left all alone?"

Pounding her fist once more on the top of the dresser, she brought her hands up to her face and rubbed, not caring about smudging the makeup she had just carefully took minutes to apply.

"Oh, my god," she said, shocked. "I am actually talking to Spinelli as if he's here. He's dead and I'm still being a bitch to him. I'm really losing it. But he never deserved it before now, and now I feel guilty. I can't be mad at you if you're dead but..." her voice trailed off.

"Ugh, just do it Maxie. Get **mad** at him. He left you!" Her voice came out raised several octives, the shrill urgent cry sounding foreign to her ears. Raggedly running her hands through her hair, she tugged on the ends before releasing her grip. Her eyes frantically scanned the scattered top of Spinelli's dresser and in one swift motion, she knocked almost everything to the floor. The satisfying crash that ensued momentarily distracted her, empowered her, but it wasn't enough. She picked up his favorite bottle of cologne and pulled back her arm. Releasing the bottle as hard as she could, she managed a slight smirk of accomplishment when the mirror above his dresser smashed into shards of glass, but as she looked at the mess she created, the way she had destroyed Spinelli's possessions, her lower lip trembled. Taking a slow breath, she leaned forward on the now bare top, and tried to surpress her sobs. Still crying, she awkwardly knelt in her 5 inch stilettos and started picking up the jagged pieces of broken mirror and cologne bottle.

Jason had immediately started up the stairs at the sound of the first crash, but stopped outside the door when he heard the sniffles coming from Maxie. Finally deciding that she sounded as though she had collected herself, he somewhat roughly pushed the door open, catching Maxie off guard. Her mouth formed an "o" of surprise as she looked up, startled, and lost her balance. Trying to regain her stability, she tilted forward on the balls of her feet, but ended up overcompensating and toppled onto her hands and knees.

"Mother fucker!" She yelled.

"God damn it Jason, what the hell is the matter with you?!" Angrily, she got to her feet, but immediately took the weight off of her left leg when she realized the piece of glass she had landed on was completely imbedded in her skin.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh, ew, ow, ew, ew!" Maxie directed her gaze up and her entire body tensed, her face not doing much to hide the look of pain from Jason.

"How bad is it?" Maxie got out between gritted teeth.

Sighing, Jason walked forward and knelt to examine the puncture wound on her slim leg. Placing his hand on the back of her knee, he tugged on the piece of glass very gently. He was relieved when the glass fell into his hand, revealing a deep but not damaging wound in Maxie's delicate flesh. He helped her lower herself on the edge of the bed and went to get a first aid kit. When he came back, Maxie was holding a towel against her knee and cursing softly. Groaning in frustration, she looked up.

"I think I need stitches."

Jason nodded and pulled out the wet wash cloth he had grabbed in the bathroom and gently pressed it against Maxie's cut. Her sharp intake of breath caused him to look up.

"It's just water!" He exclaimed.

"Well, if fucking stings anyway!"

**An hour later...**

Jason stood outside of Maxie's cubicle with a miserable look on his face. His arms were crossed stiffly in front of his chest and his gaze seemed to be focused on everything and nothing at the same time. The nurse behind the curtain with Maxie was getting her medical information, and Jason could hear snippets here and there about Maxie's heart condition and something about pain killers. His shoulders seemed to visibly sag as the one person he was hoping to avoid came bouncing around the corner.

"Oh, Jason!" Elizabeth chirped happily.

Jason nodded at Elizabeth politely and asked how she and the boys were doing. After the usual pleasantries were covered, there seemed to be an awkward silence for a moment. Luckily, the nurse popped her head out of the curtain.

"Excuse me, Mr. Morgan, she's asking for you to come in before we administer the shot."

Jason turned back to Elizabeth and said good bye, heading towards the curtain. He looked back at her over his shoulder when she called his name.

"Make sure you hold Carly's hand while they stitch her up, it really helps to be distracted. Tell her I hope she feels better."

Jason opened his mouth to correct her but promptly closed it, deciding that what Elizabeth didn't know wouldn't hurt her. Nodding goodbye, he disappeared from her sight.

Upon entering the cubicle, Jason could see Maxie eying the needle cautiously. She smiled sheepishly at Jason.

"I know, I know. I've had open heart surgery and more needles poked in me than the enemy of a porcupine. But they still give me the creeps!" Jason surprised Maxie by letting out a small, very small, chuckle as he sat next to her. The nurse asked if Maxie was ready for the needle to numb her knee and Maxie nodded, gritting her teeth to prepare herself. Not giving himself a chance to question his instinct, Jason reached out and took Maxie's small hand in his. When she looked at him questioningly, he shrugged, not meeting her gaze.

"You know Spinelli would practically be in that bed with you if it would make you feel better," he mumbled quickly. Maxie went to say something but instead hissed in pain and tightened her grip on his hand.

"Oh my god, was that the worst of it?"

When the nurse nodded, Maxie visibly relaxed and leaned back in the bed. The nurse told her she would give her a few minutes for the aenestectic to work and then she'd be back to stitch her up. Awkardly, Maxie slid her hand out of Jason's and gave him a small smile. As a few seconds of awkward silence passed, Maxie wracked her brain for something to say. She really wanted Jason to stay with her, but she didn't think he felt all that comfortable being in such an intimate, private setting so she was trying to think of a polite way of offering him the chance to leave when her curtain was pulled back, revealing Robin. Jason instantly looked a little more relaxed as he stood and said hello to Robin, and then quickly left the room leaving the two women alone.

Robin took a seat next to Maxie's bed and looked at her, studying her face. After a few moments, Maxie sighed, exasperated.

"What?!"

"How long are you going to milk this, Maxie?"

"What do you mean?" Maxie asked, genuinely confused.

"Do you honestly think Jason Morgan is comfortable having you around his apartment all the time? Having to be the one to bring you to the hospital? He probably wants to pack up Spinelli's stuff and move on. He doesn't want to have to babysit you, Maxie you know that. He's only looking out for you out of respect for Spinelli but you need to give him his space back."

Maxie didn't respond, she was truly too caught off guard to even think of something to say. It had never occurred to her that she wasn't wanted. Jason had been so accomodating and truly consciencious of Maxie's needs in the last two weeks that she had assumed her presence wasn't an issue. The nurse came in and Robin hugged Maxie good bye, telling her she would call her soon. Maxie was stitched up and given a prescription for some pain killers to drop off at the drug store. Jason helped her to the car and they sat in silence while Max ran into the local CVS to get what Maxie was prescribed. She shifted uncomfortably and eyed Jason.

"Do you want me to leave?" She asked quietly.

He looked up from his paperwork and raised an eyebrow.

"The limo?" He questioned, clearly confused. Maxie gave Jason a half smile and shook her head.

"Do you want me to leave your apartment?" She asked, not looking at him.

"Honesly?" He asked, setting his paperwork aside and running his hands over his face. She nodded, still staring at her hands.

"I want you to stay. If you left...I wouldn't have anything to focus on anymore. Worrying about you is the only thing that makes me forget how much I miss Spinelli," Jason revealed, for once truly letting Maxie see Jason the person, not Jason the mob boss, Jason the muscles, or Jason the stone cold man of no emotion.

Max chose that moment to clamber back into the driver's seat, and soon they were on their way back to _their_ home. As Jason helped Maxie out of the car, she paused for a moment to actually look him in the eye.

"If you tell anyone I said this I'll deny it til the day I die...I think I need you, too. I'll stay."

**Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 9:00 am**

Maxie squared her shoulders as she waited for the elevator doors to open. The expected ding was heard as she arrived at her floor, and she saw Lulu at her desk, already getting started on the long day ahead. She exited the elevator and attempted a confident stride into the offices of Kate Horward, but ended up wincing one step in and instead resigned herself to the pathetic limp she had used all the way through the hotel lobby downstairs. When Lulu turned at the sound of Maxie's footsteps, Maxie simply gestured towards Kate's office. Lulu gave her a questioning glance, but nodded that Kate was free before returning to her phone call.

Maxie stepped inside and inwardly cringed when she heard the sharp intake of breath from Kate.

"Um, Maxie. Lulu explained to me why you weren't in yesterday, and I understand that you're probably still in some physical pain, as well as...maybe...not emotionally...put together...or...whatever," Kate was at a loss as to how to get to her point, that sweatpants and sneakers were not exactly the attire expected of the staff at Crimson magazine, as aspiring fashionista Maxie Jones was fully aware of. "I want to give you as much leniency as you need, Maxie, and I'm trying really hard to give you the appropriate time to grieve, and now recover from your injury, but...sweat pants?! Really?!"

Maxie, to her credit, did not get snarky or defensive at Kate's attitude towards her clothing. She simply stood before Kate, her hands at her sides, her gaze floating around the room as if she was trying to commit all of it to memory.

"I'm here because I respect you, Kate, and I truly appreciate all of the oppurtunities you have given me. I will always be so grateful that you took a chance on me, even though I had no experience and a really bad track record. I hope someday you'll see that taking a chance on me was a really good decision, and though I'd like to keep proving to you now that I am a dilligent employee, worthy of the experiences you have allowed me, unfortunately the time has come for me to leave. I wanted to give you my resignation in person so that you hopefully can understand that this is a truly difficult moment for me. It's not that I want to leave, because I love this job so very much," Maxie's voice wavered and she swallowed before continuing, "but I loved Spinelli more. I just can't give you 100% right now and I would never want to do anything to jeopardize the reputation of the magazine so...this is it for me."

Kate stood silently behind her desk, taking in the fact that the most promising young talent she had ever come across was quitting becase of a broken heart. She stepped around her desk and, taking Maxie by surprise, she quickly wrapped her arms around the girl and pulled her into a brief hug. She stepped back after only a second and firmly placed a hand on each of Maxie's shoulders.

"If you need the time away, take it. But know that you are the best thing, next to me of course, " Kate smiled, " that has ever happened to this magazine. Lulu is great, but you are made for this job and you are made for this magazine. The job is waiting for you when you want it back."

She squeezed Maxie's shoulders once before releasing her and turning away, signaling the moment as well as the conversation was over for the time being. Maxie quietly let herself out of the office and stopped in front of Lulu's desk.

"It's all you now," she said, and then she left Kate Howard's office for quite possibly the last time.

Author's Note Part 2 - I've had a couple of comments regarding Spinelli and his death. Don't worry, all will be explained in due time and it's probably not what you think. I like Spinelli just as much as the next person but his death was imperative to the storyline.

Author's Note Part 3 - If you'd like any spoilers, feel free to ask (but have a specific request, I don't want to spoil anything you don't want spoiled!). Thanks for reading, drop me a line if you're feeling generous. **: ) **


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